Chartreuse substitutes — all herbal and green — continue to explode in availability, the latest being Luxardo’s Del Santo. I’ve never heard of it, but the company says it’s been available in Italy “for decades,” but its arrival in the U.S. is new as of this year.
The recipe is described as “a balanced blend of infusions of various herbs and roots such as achillea moscata, mace, galanga, cinnamon, carnation, aromatic calamus and many others.” (Certified and natural colors are also mentioned on the label.) As with most of these liqueurs, it can be enjoyed on its own but is also clearly intended as a cocktail ingredient.
We received a bottle to review, so let’s get to it.
The nose is complex and busy, with a more savory herbaceousness to it — thyme, sage, and anise, followed by vanilla and potpourri. Aromas of dried grasses and heather offer a slightly pastoral quality, making for a somewhat earthier take on the brighter and cleaner Chartreuse.
The palate is also complex and of course herb-forward, its gentle sweetness building with time in glass. The particular flavors are tough to pin down, but lime and grapefruit peels, thyme, and vanilla are all well-represented. Mint is of particular notice, lingering on the palate as the finish builds, alongside a more enduring flavor of licorice candy, brown sugar, and even some dark chocolate notes.
Side by side it’s clearly a different spirit than the OG, with arguably a more universally crowd-pleasing flavor and less of a medicinal bent throughout (not to mention considerably less alcohol than Chartreuse). That said, I think it would make a reasonable substitute in most cocktails that call for Chartreuse, provided you enter with the understanding that you’re getting a bit of a different flavor profile — green color or no.
80 proof.
A- / $35
Luxardo Del Santo Herbal Liqueur
$35
